How music could reduce healthcare costs of the UK's ageing population

Spiralling costs to the NHS of providing healthcare to over 65s could be reduced if more community music groups were set up, new research suggests.

A year-long study from the Institute of Education, University of London, has found that older people who are part of music groups are more likely to be happier – and even healthier – than their peers who opt for alternative leisure pursuits.

The researchers surveyed 400 people aged between 50 and 93 who participated in community music sessions organised by The Sage Gateshead, Westminster Adult Education Service, and the Connect programme at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Activities ranged from singing and composing to playing the ukulele and dancing the Samba.

They questioned an additional 100 people who attended classes in arts and crafts, yoga or languages, or who were part of a book club or social group.

The study found that those who took part in music groups had higher levels of wellbeing, including a stronger sense of purpose in life and of feeling in control. They also had more positive social relationships than those taking part in other activities.

Ten million people in the UK are over 65 years old but this total is expected to rise to around 17 million by 2035. With the cost of mental and physical healthcare for older people increasing, the findings suggest that community music groups could lead to significant savings for the NHS. Depression alone currently affects 1 in 5 older people living in the community and 2 in 5 living in care homes, according to the Mental Health Foundation.

Many participants in the study also felt that participating in music sessions kept them physically active and gave them more energy. One interviewee said: "It (would) save the health service and the social services an enormous amount if they put these in place everywhere…it must be good for our health." Previous research has indicated the physical health benefits of music-making and has even revealed lower mortality rates amongst those who make music or sing in a choir.

The IOE researchers found that individuals continue to enjoy music-making as they move into the later stages of life. Over-75s in the study felt the same sense of control over their lives as those aged 50 and over, and also benefited from forming positive social relationships. This is significant as the 'oldest old' comprise the fastest-growing group and the cost of healthcare for the most elderly is likely to be much greater than for younger retired people.

Professor Susan Hallam, who led the research, notes that there are many reasons why community music sessions can have such a positive effect on older people's wellbeing. "Music can have a really positive impact on mood, which can help reduce depression," she said. "The physical activity involved in singing and playing instruments, and the focus and concentration required, can also create a real sense of control and purpose - especially when performances are planned. Participants feel like they are giving something back to the community, and are proud of what they have achieved together."

Professor Hallam believes that establishing more community music initiatives could have significant mental and physical health benefits for older people. "With pensioners in the UK now outnumbering children under the age of 16, there is a growing need for initiatives that will support older people's wellbeing and reduce the growing demands on the NHS of providing health care to the ageing population. Findings from this research show that providing opportunities for making music in a social context will help older people to remain active and enable them to age with dignity and independence."

The IOE study was funded by the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme, a seven-year research initiative that is supported by five research councils and aims to improve older people's quality of life.

'Does active engagement in community music support the wellbeing of older people?', by Susan Hallam, Andrea Creech, Helena Gaunt, Maria Varvarigou and Hilary McQueen, was published by Routledge in Arts & Health: An International Journal for Research, Policy and Practice on Tuesday 2nd July 2013.